All news in category "Vendor and Hyperscaler Watch"

AWS Backup releases low-cost warm storage for S3 backups

🚀 AWS Backup introduces a low-cost warm storage tier for Amazon S3 backups that can cut storage costs by up to 30%. After S3 backup data resides in a vault for 60 days (configurable to a longer period), you can automatically move it to the new tier while preserving the same performance and features, including ransomware protection, recovery, and auditing. Automatic tiering can be enabled at the account, vault, or bucket level and is available in all Regions where AWS Backup for S3 is offered; a one-time transition fee applies.

Amazon Redshift JIT ANALYZE for Apache Iceberg tables

📈 Amazon Redshift now supports Just‑In‑Time (JIT) ANALYZE for Apache Iceberg tables, automatically collecting table‑ and column‑level statistics during query execution. The feature uses intelligent heuristics and lightweight sketch data structures to determine when runtime statistics will improve optimizer decisions and to build high‑quality statistics on the fly. JIT ANALYZE is generally available in all AWS regions with Redshift and requires no configuration changes to begin improving query plans and performance.

Amazon MSK Replicator expands to Hyderabad and Malaysia

🔁 Amazon Web Services has expanded MSK Replicator to the Asia Pacific (Hyderabad) and Asia Pacific (Malaysia) Regions, enabling customers to replicate streaming data between Amazon MSK clusters. MSK Replicator automates asynchronous replication and preserves Kafka metadata such as topic configurations, ACLs, and consumer offsets, while automatically scaling underlying resources. The feature simplifies failover and regional resilience and is available from the MSK console or CLI.

AWS Lambda Adds Python 3.14 Managed Runtime Support

🔔 AWS Lambda now supports Python 3.14 for both managed runtimes and as a container base image. AWS will automatically apply updates to the managed runtime and base image as they become available, reducing maintenance overhead. The runtime is available in all Regions, including AWS GovCloud (US) and China Regions, and is supported for Lambda@Edge in applicable Regions. Developers can deploy using the Lambda console, AWS CLI, AWS SAM, AWS CDK, and CloudFormation, and Powertools for AWS Lambda (Python) also supports Python 3.14.

AWS launches Storage-Optimized EC2 I7i instances in regions

🚀 AWS has made high performance, storage-optimized Amazon EC2 I7i instances available in Asia Pacific (Melbourne, Mumbai, Osaka) and Middle East (UAE) regions. Powered by 5th‑generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors and 3rd‑generation AWS Nitro SSDs, I7i delivers up to 23% better compute performance and more than 10% better price performance versus prior I4i instances. I7i offers up to 45 TB of NVMe storage with significant reductions in storage I/O latency and variability, supports torn-write prevention up to 16 KB blocks, and is offered in eleven sizes including bare metal, with up to 100 Gbps network and 60 Gbps EBS bandwidth.

Amazon Redshift Adds SUPER Type for Case-Insensitive DBs

🧩 Amazon Redshift now supports the SUPER data type in databases configured with case-insensitive collation, enabling analytics on semi-structured and nested data alongside structured SQL types. Using PartiQL, users can query JSON and mixed data without additional normalization. The COLLATE function lets you explicitly control case sensitivity for SUPER columns. This capability is available in all AWS Regions, including AWS GovCloud (US).

AWS offers flat-rate CloudFront plans with built-in security

🔒 AWS is introducing flat-rate pricing plans for CloudFront that bundle global CDN delivery with built-in security (WAF, DDoS protection), Route 53 DNS, CloudWatch Logs ingestion, serverless edge compute, and monthly S3 storage credits. Plans eliminate overage charges so traffic spikes or attacks won’t trigger surprise fees. Tiers include Free, Pro ($15), Business ($200) and Premium ($1,000), and pay-as-you-go remains an option.

Cloudflare outage (18 Nov 2025): feature file duplication

⚠️ On 18 November 2025, Cloudflare experienced a major outage after a permissions change in a ClickHouse database caused duplicated metadata to be emitted into a Bot Management feature file, doubling its size. The oversized file exceeded a preallocated feature limit in the core proxy, triggering a Rust panic and widespread HTTP 5xx errors. Cloudflare halted propagation, restored a known-good file, and restarted the proxy; services were largely restored by 14:30 UTC and fully recovered by 17:06 UTC. The company apologized and pledged architectural and process hardening to prevent recurrence.

AWS Adds ML-DSA Post-Quantum Code Signing to Private CA

🔐 AWS announced support for post-quantum ML-DSA code signing in AWS Private CA, integrated with AWS KMS. The integration lets customers create ML-DSA X.509 certificate chains and generate KMS-held ML-DSA key pairs to sign binaries, enabling quantum-resistant code-signing, device authentication, and private-PKI workflows such as mTLS or IKEv2/IPsec. A provided Java Runner demonstrates CA creation, CSR issuance, CMS detached signing with SHAKE256, and signature verification against customer-managed roots.

Route 53 Adds Protection Against Dictionary DGA Attacks

🛡️ Amazon Web Services has added Dictionary-based DGA detection to Route 53 Resolver DNS Firewall Advanced, enabling real-time monitoring and blocking of domain queries that use word-based DGA techniques designed to mimic legitimate names. Administrators can create DNS Firewall Advanced rule(s) targeting Dictionary DGA and add them to rule groups to enforce protections on VPCs directly or through AWS Firewall Manager, RAM, CloudFormation, or Route 53 Profiles. The capability is available in all AWS Regions, including AWS GovCloud (US). See the Route 53 documentation for setup and pricing details.

Amazon Redshift Adds Apache Iceberg Write Support (GA)

🔔 Amazon Redshift now supports write operations to Apache Iceberg tables in general availability, enabling SQL DDL and DML including CREATE, SHOW, DROP, and INSERT for append-only workloads. Customers can execute concurrent read and write queries against Iceberg tables cataloged in AWS Glue Data Catalog while benefiting from transactional consistency and schema and partition evolution support. The capability is available in all regions where Amazon Redshift is offered.

WorkSpaces Applications adds 100+ instance types and storage

🚀 Amazon WorkSpaces Applications now offers expanded compute and storage flexibility, adding 100+ instance types across general purpose, compute-optimized, memory-optimized, and accelerated families. Customers can configure storage volumes from 200GB to 500GB and import custom EC2 AMIs, including Windows Server 2022, for image creation and customization. These enhancements are generally available in all supported AWS Regions and follow the standard pay-as-you-go pricing for the service.

AWS Expands Amazon WorkSpaces Applications Regions

🌍 Amazon Web Services has added Europe (Milan), Europe (Spain), Asia Pacific (Malaysia), and Israel (Tel Aviv) to the regional footprint for Amazon WorkSpaces Applications. The fully managed, secure application streaming service lets organizations stream desktops and apps to users without local installs while AWS manages hosting, scaling, and on‑demand access. Deploying applications closer to end users reduces latency and improves responsiveness. Administrators can enable the service from the WorkSpaces Applications console; pricing follows a pay‑as‑you‑go model.

Amazon Route 53 Profiles Adds Resolver Query Logging

🛡️ AWS announced support for Resolver query logging configurations in Amazon Route 53 Profiles, allowing centralized management of Resolver query logging across multiple VPCs and AWS accounts. The enhancement eliminates the need to manually associate logging configurations with each VPC and helps produce consistent DNS query logs for compliance and auditing. The feature is available now in supported AWS Regions via the console or AWS CLI.

Google announces Dhivaru subsea cable and regional hubs

📡 Google announced Dhivaru, a new Trans-Indian Ocean subsea cable linking the Maldives, Christmas Island, and Oman, and will build two new connectivity hubs in the Maldives and Christmas Island. The investment builds on the Australia Connect initiative and aims to improve reach, reliability, and resilience across the Indian Ocean, supporting AI services such as Vertex AI. The hubs will provide cable switching, content caching, and colocation to reduce latency, improve availability, and support local ecosystems.

EC2 Image Builder Adds Lambda and Step Functions Integration

🚀 EC2 Image Builder now supports invoking AWS Lambda functions and executing Step Functions state machines directly within image workflows. This native integration lets teams embed custom logic, multi-step orchestration, and validation into image builds without bespoke glue code. It simplifies compliance checks, notifications, and multi-stage security testing while reducing maintenance and error-prone workarounds. The capabilities are available at no additional cost across all AWS regions, including China and GovCloud, and can be used via Console, CLI, API, CloudFormation, or CDK.

AWS Reduces EC2 Costs for SQL Server High Availability

🔔 AWS announced on Nov 17, 2025 a new capability that lets customers designate Amazon EC2 instances running license-included Microsoft SQL Server as part of a High-Availability (HA) cluster to reduce licensing costs with a few clicks. The enhancement targets mission-critical deployments using Always On Availability Groups and Always On failover cluster instances, with AWS citing savings up to 40% in example configurations. The feature is available in all commercial AWS Regions.

Amazon U7i 12TB EC2 Instances Launch in Ireland Region

🚀 Amazon Web Services has launched EC2 High Memory U7i-12tb.224xlarge instances in the AWS Europe (Ireland) Region. These 7th-generation instances offer 12TB DDR5 memory, 896 vCPUs, up to 100Gbps EBS and network bandwidth, and ENA Express support. They target mission-critical in-memory databases such as SAP HANA, Oracle, and SQL Server. Availability aims to accelerate transaction processing and large-scale in-memory workloads.

Amazon EC2 M8i and M8i-flex Available in Mumbai Region

🚀 Starting today, Amazon EC2 M8i and M8i-flex instances are available in the Asia Pacific (Mumbai) Region. Powered by custom Intel Xeon 6 processors exclusive to AWS, these instances deliver up to 15% better price‑performance and 2.5× the memory bandwidth versus previous Intel-based generations and up to 20% performance gains versus M7i. AWS cites workload-specific improvements — up to 30% faster for PostgreSQL, up to 60% for NGINX web applications, and up to 40% for AI recommendation models. M8i-flex offers common sizes from large to 16xlarge for general-purpose use, while M8i provides 13 sizes including two bare-metal options and a new 96xlarge for large, sustained CPU workloads.

AWS Backup Adds Direct Primary Support for Air-Gapped Vaults

🔐 AWS Backup now lets customers designate a logically air-gapped vault as the primary backup target across backup plans, organization policies, and on-demand jobs. This removes the prior restriction that air-gapped vaults could only hold copies, enabling direct writes to the air-gapped store and reducing duplicate-storage costs. For resource types without full AWS Backup management support, the service still creates a temporary snapshot in a standard vault, copies it into the air-gapped vault, and then removes the temporary snapshot. The capability is available in all Regions that support logically air-gapped vaults and can be selected via the console, API, or CLI.